The Benefits of Bariatric Surgery

The road to losing weight looks different for everyone, even though the final destination may be the same or similar. Everyone wants to be healthy and feel great about their body, but there’s not a single one size fits all method; for some, just following a healthy diet can be enough, while others include a physical activity routine. However, people who are struggling with obesity or other weight related problems may struggle to lose weight if they only stick to these kinds of programs. We’re not saying it’s completely impossible, but patients can grow impatient with the lack of results. 

If you’re dealing with obesity, it’s possible that you’re also experiencing some comorbidities, such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, or sleep apnea; if so, bariatric surgery may be the best choice for you. Of course, this can only be decided by a certified doctor that will determine if you’re a candidate for bariatric surgery and which procedure is best for you. Your needs and expectations, along with your medical history, also come into play.

LIMARP® is an internationally recognized bariatric surgery center with a well-rounded medical and surgical team that’s led by Dr. Liza María Pompa González, whose experience, along with the state of the art technology available at the clinic, ensures that every patient who comes through our door gets the best attention possible. We offer integral treatment plans that are created based on the patient’s profile and some of them may include bariatric surgery.

Surgery can be a scary thing, the idea of being put under anesthesia and being cut open may deter some patients from even considering it as an option, but bariatric surgery can also bring forth many benefits. This article will focus, mainly, on those benefits and we’ll also talk about the different types of procedures and what makes you a candidate. If you still have doubts or need more information, contact your doctor or schedule an appointment with us, we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions.

To begin, we’d like to discuss what makes you a candidate for bariatric surgery.

This type of surgery can reduce your risk of obesity-related medical conditions, which is one of its many benefits, and an indicator that you may be eligible is if you have a body mass index (BMI) over 35. Your BMI may be aggravated by one or more health issues such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol or triglycerides. 

Once our team determines that you are a candidate for bariatric surgery, we can determine the most effective type of surgery for you. Bariatric surgery is a serious procedure, with the potential to change your life. Our multidisciplinary team will do both physical and psychological evaluations to determine your possibility of undergoing surgery. 

During the discussion with your doctor, they will bring up the benefits of undergoing bariatric surgery and while the results of each procedure may look different for every patient, the benefits can be pretty universal. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), surgery can be the most effective treatment for people battling with severe obesity or other medical problems like heart and kidney disease[1]. Aside from obesity, bariatric surgery benefits the patient by treating other conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and acid reflux.

Some of these conditions can be life-threatening and bariatric surgery has been proven to expand the patient’s life expectancy[2], as well as shown to lower a person’s risk of death from any cause by over 40%.

Bariatric surgery works by changing the anatomy or position of the stomach and small intestines and can cause changes in appetite, satiety, and metabolism[4]. These anatomy changes depend on the type of procedure that’s performed on the patient, which are divided into three[5] groups: 

• Restrictive: The procedure consists of creating a small gastric pouch with a narrow outlet that restricts the amount of food that the patient can eat at one time. Some examples are the vertical banded gastroplasty and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
• Malabsorptive: These procedures, like the duodenal switch, bypass a segment of the small intestine so that less food is absorbed.
• Combination: These use both mechanisms to achieve weight loss. For example, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can be performed either laparoscopically or as open surgery. 

By limiting the food intake and restricting the nutrient and calorie absorption, the patient is able to lose weight at a rate that they hadn’t been able to achieve prior to the surgery. This is one of the main goals for many patients because of different factors that range from personal to societal and studies have shown that “more than 90 percent of people who have bariatric surgery are able to maintain at least 50 percent of their weight loss following the procedure”[6]. Of course, this can only be achieved if the patient sticks to a diet and exercise plan that can help them keep the weight off and reap the benefits. AS part of the integral treatment plans offered at LIMARP®, we ensure that they have the necessary tools and guidance. 

Another benefit is that the patient develops a faster metabolism, which may allow them to be more physically active than they were before[7]. This is because it improves the body’s ability to burn fat in a more efficient way. Hormones, like insulin and cortisol, are also reduced, which helps lower the body’s storage of fat. Overall, there are many benefits to having bariatric surgery and it’s important to be informed on all the options available to you.

Contact Us to Learn More

If you want to know more about the benefits of bariatric surgery, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help determine the right treatment for you. Contact us online anytime or give us a call at (619) 373-0229.

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